A topwater fishing lure or walker is a type of surface fishing lure, usually floating just at the water surface, that may be moved about the surface of water in order to attract and cause fish to attempt to strike the lure. Non-floating versions may be retrieved at sufficient speed to cause them to travel at the water's surface.

Such lures are often designed to resemble smaller creatures that would normally be considered as food for the target game fish species. They are painted to look like the prey of the target species; usually smaller baitfish, frogs or insects. One of the key features of the topwater lure is the serpentine "walking" action that it imparts as it travels along the water's surface. The more effective lures have an action that closely resembles that of the actual living creature. The lure is typically fitted with one of more fish hooks (usually treble hooks) to hook the target fish as it strikes the lure. Variations exist that include internal rattles to generate sound that might be similar to the sounds created by the actual, live creature being emulated. some also include small light sources such as LEDs that might be battery powered. There are also jointed bodies, moving eyes, holographic finishes, etc. all of which are incorporated to encourage the target species to strike the lure. The lure is normally attached to the end of a fishing line that is attached to a fishing rod and reel and is cast into areas where the target species might be found and "worked" skillfully within that area to encourage strikes. This type of fishing is considered by many to be one of the more exciting methods used to catch fish. A frequent mistake when fishing topwater lures is to initiate the hookset immediately upon seeing the fish strike the lure. In many species, especially bass, it is important to wait a few seconds before initiating the hookset to ensure that the lure is in the best position in the fish's mouth to optimize the chances of a successful hooking. Black bass, spotted seatrout, ladyfish, redfish, bluefish, tarpon, bonefish, barracuda, & pickerel are examples of fish that might be taken by the topwater approach.

v t e Fishing equipment and methods
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Fishing techniques Gathering Abalone Ama divers Clam digging Flounder tramping Gathering seafood by hand Noodling Pearl hunting Scallop aquaculture Trout binning Trout tickling Spears Bowfishing Gigging Harpoon Hawaiian sling Polespear Spearfishing Speargun Trident Fishing lines Angling Dropline Drum lines Handline fishing Jiggerpole Jigging Jug fishing Longline fishing Spin fishing Tip-up Trolling Trotline Fishing nets Cast net Cheena vala Drift net Ghost nets Gill net Glass floats Haaf net Hand net Ice jigger Lampara net Lampuki net Lave net Lift net Salambaw Seine net Surrounding net Tangle net Trawl net Turtle excluder device Fish traps Almadraba Barrier net Corf Crab trap Double-Heart of Stacked Stones Eel buck Fish corral Fish nest Fish wheel Fishing basket Fishing weir Lobster trap Putcher fishing Trabucco Other Basnig Blast fishing Cormorant fishing Cyanide fishing Dredging Electrofishing Electric pulse fishing Fish aggregating device Fish toxins Fishfinder Fishing light attractor Flossing Ice fishing Kite fishing Muro-ami Otter fishing Pa-aling Payaos Shrimp baiting Snagging

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Techniques	Fish trap Fishfinder Fishing net Gathering seafood by hand Handline fishing Spearfishing Trawling Trolling
Tackle	Artificial flies Bait Bite indicators Hook Line Lures Rod Sinker
Locations	Fish ponds Fishing banks Fishing villages Marine habitats
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